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Evan Perigo

Evan Perigo is a Chicago-based photographer who enjoys traveling, long-distance running, college football, tacos and returning home to the great state of Indiana. 

Evan photographed the Heritage General Store feature for Issue Three, as well as the delicious blueberries featured on the cover. 

This past weekend he took over the  Driftless Instagram and shared beautiful images with us from his weekend in Chicago. His series includes mouthwatering treats, skatepark views, and hammock-ing at the harbor. 

Check out our Instagram for Evan's full takeover series!


We had the opportunity to ask Evan a few questions about his work.

When did you first get into photography?
I got into photography about 6 years ago. 

What does your creative process entail? 
A quiet walk with some coffee will always get my ideas flowing. No cell phone, music or any distractions. Then whatever stays with me, I write down in a journal once I get home. 

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What inspires you?
Travel is really important to me. I always come home wanting to live a better life and be a better person. My wife is a huge inspiration. She works so hard and I’m always trying to maintain my level of productivity with hers. She’s also a hardass when it comes to critiquing my photos, so I try to impress her and keep up the quality in my work. And also, I’m constantly blown away by my friends. I think having a strong creative community here definitely keeps my drive going. 

Where’s your favorite place to unwind? 
Running along Lake Michigan. 

What made you choose Chicago as a place to start your business? 
My wife stole my heart here, haha. I packed my bags from Nashville and moved to Chicago two and a half years ago. 

How does the midwest impact your work? 
It’s challenging for sure. I don’t do well with the cold ... winter really starts getting to me after the first month. I’m an outdoorsy person and I think a lot of my work reflects that. The seasons can definitely impact the type of work you get. 

Any advice for aspiring photographers? 
Do as many test shoots as possible. You have all the room for failure with no pressure attached. My best work has almost always come from trying out new ideas. Also, sorry for the cheesiness, but avoid the voice of resistance that is always in the back of our heads. Just go out and shoot what you love. 

View more of Evan's work here:
Website   /   Blog   /   Instagram   /   Twitter

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FAUX WEAVING DIY

with words and photographs by Claire and Lauren of Foxtail + Moss

The resurgence of yarn and macrame art is a welcomed trend in our book. We love the look of walls adorned with tapestries, textiles, organic fibers, and tons of texture. With weaving workshops popping up left and right, the craft is super accessible. Weaving is a centuries old tradition that can be as practical (in certain forms) as it is beautiful, but learning the ins and outs of loom weaving is an acquired skill – one that takes time to learn and patience to hone.

Call it the cheaters way if you will, but this faux weaving DIY is designed for those short on time and patience. Using cross stitch basics and a plastic mesh canvas, this wall hanging combines the art of weaving with a well loved children’s craft. And it’s simple enough that even the most loom-operating-challenged can master it in an afternoon.

What You'll Need

Plastic Mesh Canvas
Yarn
Large Plastic Yarn Needles

Cut a section of yarn about three feet in length and thread your needle. As you make your starting stitch, pulling your needle through the hole from the back of the canvas to the front, leave a “tail” of three to four inches of yarn hanging on the back side (or the “wrong side”). The first few stitches should be made over that tail to lock the yarn in place.

Use the following basic stitches to weave a pattern with plenty of texture. But don’t be afraid to get creative and go rouge with your stitches. There’s no wrong way to fill your canvas and the more creative you get, the more interesting your final product will be.

The Straight Stitch is the most basic stitch. Working in a horizontal row, bring your needle up from the wrong side through the first hole and down from the front through the second hole. Repeat this over/under motion working right to left in the first row and left to right in the second, and so on and so forth.
The Continental Stitch is essentially a diagonal version of the straight stitch. Bring your needle up from the wrong side through the second hole in the first row and down from the front through the first hole in the second row, creating a diagonal line.
The Larks Head Knot is used for fringe or for attaching a hanging loop. Fold a length of yarn in half. Bring the folded end up from the wrong side through the first hole. This creates a hanging loop. To create fringe, feed the ends of the yarn and through the loop and tighten. Trim the ends to desired fringe length.

When ending a row, before moving on to a different yarn, or when you’re down to the last few inches of a strand, turn over your canvas and run your needle under 4 or 5 stitches on the wrong side. Do the same when picking back up in the middle of a row or starting with a new strand of yarn.

Once your weaving is complete, use the Overcast Stitch to finish off the raw edges. Stitch around the outside edge of your canvas, putting one stitch in each hole along the straight edges and two or three stitches in each corner hole to hide any plastic canvas that might be peeking through.

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Renegade Recap

We had the absolute best time at Renegade this past weekend! It was such a beautiful two days spent in Wicker Park along Division Street between Damen and Paulina. We met so many amazing folks who are just as passionate about the Midwest as we are. We also got to see (and finally meet in person!) a few of our favorite vendors like Paul from 419 Trading Co., Melissa from Douglas & Co. Detroit, and Araya from Wind & Willow Home. If you haven't already had the pleasure of meeting these incredibly talented individuals and familiarizing yourself with their inspiring companies, please please do so now! We promise that you will not regret it.

We could not have asked for better weather (it was gorgeous and sunny the entire time!), better company (we shared a booth with the incredibly talented Katie Levinson), or a better time. With over 350 vendors, this outdoor and free-to-attend fair will always remain on our list of must-dos.  And, for anyone who might have missed us at the fair, we are offering FREE SHIPPING until September 30th, on any online magazine orders. It's a great chance to get your missing Issue 2 or 3. Check out our online shop to order!

Our booth partner, Katie Levinson's work.

Our booth partner, Katie Levinson's work.

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Meet the Driftless Team

Our unofficial mascot, Tuko. 

Our unofficial mascot, Tuko. 

The team behind Driftless is comprised of three friends who met during and after their college days at Indiana University Bloomington. With backgrounds in photography, fine art, graphic design, journalism and art management, they knew they could create something beautiful that people would want to hold onto well after its time. In 2014, Shelly and Leah began the Driftless journey with Issue 1. Two issues later, they were lucky enough to find Anna - the perfect addition to the team.

From left to right:  Shelly Westerhausen, Leah Fithian and Anna Powell Teeter

From left to right:  Shelly Westerhausen, Leah Fithian and Anna Powell Teeter

By day, Shelly works for independent record label, Secretly Canadian, in Bloomington, Indiana. By night she runs the acclaimed Vegetarian 'Ventures food blog, posting delicious vegetarian recipes and delectable photos. After a bittersweet departure from buying and managing an independent boutique in Bloomington, Leah is now a freelance photo and production assistant in Chicago's commercial photography world. Anna is a photographer, videographer and storyteller based out of Bloomington. Someday we hope to focus entirely on our little magazine, although you could say we may always have a desire for too many projects going on at once ...

With a love for all things food, art and adventure related, the three continue to showcase what the Midwest has to offer throughout the pages of each issue. Please continue following along with us on this crazy journey. We would not be where we are today without the incredible support of our readers. 

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Switchyard + Renegade

Last weekend the Driftless team was in Bloomington, Indiana for the Switchyard Art Market. We enjoyed telling people about the Driftless community, selling magazines and prints, and soaking up the summer sun. Our next stop is the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, Illinois on September 19-20. You will find us on Division Street in Wicker Park and we hope to see you there!

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Issue 3

Welcome to our new blog!  We are very excited to announce that Issue 3 is now available for pre-order.  This issue is filled with must-try recipes, an inspiring Midwest Road Trip feature, gorgeous photographs from an Indiana flower farm and so much more!  We have a special pre-order sale of $12 through the end of June.  And incase you missed Issue 2 we've bundled them together for a sale price of $22.  Visit our shop for more details!  

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